Portable trestle



(No Model.)

J. G. RUSH.

PORTABLE TRESTLE.

PatentedApr. 17, 1888.

W/ T IVE SSE S ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries,

JOHN G. RUSH, OF \VESTWILLOW', PENNSYLVANIA.

PORTABLE TRESTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 381,510, dated April17, 1888.

Application filed January 24, 1887. Serial No. 225,413. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, JOHN G. RUSH, a citizen of the United States,residing at West Willow, in the county of Lancaster and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain Iniprovemenls in Portable Trestles,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of trcstles which can be moved fromplace to place and are made to be detachabl y connected with the membersthey are to support; and theobject of my improvement is to produce alight portable trestle fo r use by tobacco-growers for supporting therails upon which tobacco-plants [5 are held while drying in the field,or by painters or plasterers for supporting the platforms upon whichthey stand while at work. This object I accomplish by the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective view of a pair of my trestles, shown as they appear when inuse;-

and Fig. 2, a perspective viewof a pair of tree tle-plates.

Similar letters indicate like parts through- 25 out the several views.

The trestle is composed of two upright plates, A, fuci ng and connectedwith each other. Each plate has an angle, (4, formed about and acrossthe center, that part, B, below extending outward from the angle to theleg L, and that, G, above being approximately perpendicular. The lowerend of the part B is provided with two arms, 2), one extending outwardfrom each vertical edge of the trestle-plate and there bending inward,so as to form a channel for the reception of the legs L. These legs Lsimply pass through the channels, being prevented from extending too farupward by the angle a.

The trestleplates are connected by inwardlyprojecting arms 1), formedintegral therewith and located just above the angle a. Each plate hastwo of these arms I), those of one plate lapping those of the other, allbeing sup plied with holes d, through which passes a rod, It, connectingthe four arms. The holes in each plate areforined in a regularhorizontal series, that the distance between the trestleplates may bevaried to accommodate the beam E of different thicknesses, which restsupon the connecting'arms. The inner edge of each trestle-plate above thearmsD is also provided with sharp inward projections or teeth T, whichpenetrate the beam E and prevent longitudinal motion of the same. Thetop of one of each pair of plates has a chain, F, fastened to it, whichpasses over the top of the beam to be supported and is caught in anangular notch in a log, Z, projecting outward and downward from the topof the other plate. By reason of .the shape of this notch the link of achain can rest edgewise in it and the chain be prevented from drawingthrough by turning the next lower link sidewise.

As will be readily understood from the foregoing description of mytrestle, the two plates are hinged together, as it were, by theconnectingrod. The chain F draws the tops of the plates together toclose upon the beam supported between them, while the downward pressureof the weight and the reaction of the legs L in the angles of the platesserve to keep the teeth 1' of the plates in engagement with the beam toprevent longitudinal movement of the same. The removal of the weightsupported by the beam will at once permit the latter to be lifted fromthe trestle and the separation of the plates from each other and theirsupporting-legs.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in a trestle, with the beam to be supported, ofpairs of plates having upright portions which bear against said beam andlower portions spreading outward and having channels formed on theirexterior faces to receive the legs, arms extending inward from saidpprightportions and each provided with a series of perforations, and arod for engaging the corresponding perforations-in each pair of arms,substantially as and for the purwith the lower part of the plates, forthe purportions and pivoted together, and detachable pose specified.connections between the tops of said plates, 10

3. The combination, in a trestle, with the substantiallyas and for thepurpose specified. beam, of pairs of plates composed of upright 5portions bearing against said beam, lower por- JOHN RUSH tions spreadingoutward and having channels Witnesses: formed on their exterior faces toreceive the J. K. BARR,

legs, arms extending inward from said upright WM. R. GERHART.

